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    949 Grill Lounge

    4.7 (195 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

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    949 GRILL LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    Recommended Reviews - 949 Grill Lounge

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    Lamb Vermicelli

    As a 626 resident, I can confidently say that this place rivals some of the best Chinese skewer places in the SGV!! My go-to order has been: lamb skewers, sweet and sour cucumbers, *lamb vermicelli soup (I come back just for this), tornado potatoes, and the garlic chicken skewers. The orange sorbet is also a fun and refreshing dessert to end off the meal. In fact, the food was so good that I ended up forgetting my phone at the restaurant. Thankfully, the staff were very kind and held onto my phone until I could pick it up again the next day. Overall, a great experience if you're craving Chinese skewers or a late night eats.

    Skewers
    Andrew D.

    Good skewers in Irvine! We were seated and served relatively quickly. This place has large seating capacity and seems to be tailored for those looking for a quick bite. We got a variety of different skewers including Chicken Skin, Chicken Cartilage, House Special Garlic Chicken, Pork Belly. Overall, it was great but not particularly noteworthy relative to other skewer places. Would recommend to those in the area looking for skewers in Irvine!

    Janette N.

    This place is always packed with Chinese foodies, so you know it's the real deal. I usually come for the skewers, but I love that they offer so much more than just that. The menu is surprisingly extensive, with everything from hot pot and noodle dishes to stir-fried dishes. I jwish they had guo bao rou available every day since it's my favorite but they only serve it once a week because it's such a labor-intensive dish and they make it fresh to order, which is understandable. The skewers are consistently good, they're open late, and it's become my go-to spot when I don't feel like driving out to the 626 for great skewers, definitely a good find for Irvine.

    Catherine B.

    TLDR: verrrry authentic Chinese restaurant. Great ambiance. We were definitely the only non-natives there. You order through a QR code. Their menu changes regularly based on demand I think. A little concerned that they reuse their skewers..

    Scallop (4 Pieces)
    Rosemary T.

    If you're craving Chinese skewers in Irvine, this place is easily one of the best. The skewers are flavorful and satisfying, even though everything is cooked in the kitchen rather than in front of you. That said, consistency can vary--sometimes the skewers come out a bit dry or slightly overcooked. The spice level is no joke. "Spicy" is very spicy, so it's better to order non-spicy and add the dry chili powder on the side to control the heat yourself. It's a small restaurant, so waits can get long when it's busy. Our go-to order is always the beef skewers and lamb skewers. The chicken wings are usually good, though they've been a little dry the last few visits. The foil vermicelli is solid and can be ordered non-spicy. Oysters are hit or miss--sometimes nice and plump, sometimes smaller. The grill setup is more for show than actual cooking, but it still adds to the atmosphere. Overall, it's a great spot for lighter eats on days when you're not super hungry, and surprisingly, it's not as smoky or smelly as you might expect from a skewer place.

    Sabrina L.

    Overall, Most dishes were actually really good Flavor on point, great variety, and perfect for sharing with friends. Nice service and good ambiance. Definitely worth trying if you're in Irvine, Come hungry... you'll want to order everything

    Fish maw
    James Q.

    Was craving for skewered bbq and didn't want to drive too far, so we tried this place. When we arrived they just opened, can't tell if the restaurant is clean or not, but staff were chatting and seems like they were having dinner. Their skewers are all fried not grilled, which is a huge red flag, service is friendly actually. I recommend their Hunan dishes, their stir fried rice noodles is very good, so is the fish maw, just don't come here for the skewers. Would be 4+ if not for the fried skewers.

    Michele L.

    Nestled among Irvine's Plaza Resident Community, 949 Grill Lounge is a neighborhood restaurant that's sure to be a go-to for lunch or dinner! They have a modern design with an open kitchen, where you can see the chefs wok-fry with flames!! Pretty impressive to watch!! Their dishes are bursting with bold, authentic Chinese flavors, each dish tells a story. I absolutely love their Bento style Lunch Boxes, which comes with a main + 2 sides + soup and steamed rice that range from $17.99 - $21.99. I tried the Hunan stir-fried pork belly lunch teishoku set 湖南小炒肉-午市定食 with sweet and sour soup, Sweet and Sour Black Fungus, Sweet and Sour Cucumbers and bowl of steamed rice. I asked for medium spice and it was just right for me! So beautifully displayed on a wooden tray!! Their stir-fried baby squid with chili sauce 辣炒海兔(小鱿鱼) is a customer favorite!! I am in love with this dish!! So aromatic and satisfying, with the right chewy texture for baby squid!! Stir-fried Pork Belly and Chili Pepper with Rice 肉汤泡饭 features thinly sliced pork belly stir-fried with fresh chili peppers, aromatic garlic and ginger, and seasonings. Again, I asked for medium spice! Perfectly balanced!! They also have skewers (served after 5pm), Hunan stir-fried spicy dishes, foiled dishes, bullfrog dishes, stone cooked dishes, noodle soups, rice dishes, noodles, dongbei and Lao Dao specialties and a variety of desserts. They also have a full bar with an array of Sake. Dive into a culinary journey that both locals and foodies rave about. They have a full bar with an array of Sake. Alysa had terrific and friendly customer service!!

    Northeast Cold Noodles, Preserved Egg And Eggplant W/ Green Pepper, Lamb Skewers (5 Skewers), Beef Hard Tendon
    Bethany L.

    if you've never had traditional chinese bbq before, go check it out!! order through QR code menu and food comes out quickly. got the scallop + vermicelli (so buttery, garlicy), a bunch of skewers (lambs, beef tendon, mushroom, eel, beef brisket), northern cold noodles (briny and refreshing), but my favorite was the egg and eggplant. it doesn't sound fancy but the egg makes the dish earthy/nutty while the eggplant is creamy and umami. please get it! place is super clean and staff brings around extra napkins/waters (: for 2 people, we couldn't finish everything and it was under 90$!

    Lamb Skewers (5 Skewers)
    Miranda L.

    The lamb skewers are good. The corn and the steamed bun barbequed was packed with flavor. The spicy meat off the bone was good. Service was slow. Took them a long time to get our orders and took forever to get water refilled. But I would still come back because the food tasted great?

    Human egg fried rice $12
    Kat N.

    The lunch started well with the kung pao chicken and the generosity of the tray veggies, perfect seasoning on the cucumbers and radishes. It went downhill from there unfortunately: the cumin lamb and pork lunch set were super salty. The fried rice had a little section that was (accidentally?) super salty. Otherwise pretty normal, nothing special. There's only one server so expect the wait service to be 15-20 min longer than expected. At one point we saw a customer stand up to help deliver teishoku lunch trays to his table.

    Nareen C.

    Authentic Northern Chinese barbecue and Hunan-style spicy dishes. its extensive variety of charcoal-grilled skewers using dry" seasoning method that creates a smoky, bold, and aromatic crust over charcoal flames. We enjoyed The signature spicy seasoning skewers ( garlic chicken,chicken feet, chicken gizzards, chicken wings and potato tower) Bento lunch Set - Kung Pao Bento lunch Set - Spicy Eggplant Green Beans with minced pork Pork ribs soup with corn

    ting h.

    My friend knows how much I love frog legs, so they recommended a spot right here in Irvine -- 949 Grill Lounge. The English name sounds pretty normal, but the Chinese name is hilariously dramatic: "Chicken Fly Frog Jump 949" Definitely memorable! We ordered the stir-fried frog with perilla leaves, which wasn't spicy but super flavorful -- even the kids enjoyed it! The frogs are killed fresh, and you can really tell -- the meat was incredibly tender and bouncy. It's rare to find freshly butchered frog dishes around here, so this was a treat. The kids saw the skewers and wanted to try some -- and to our surprise, they loved them so much we kept ordering more! The skewers have that classic Northeastern Chinese BBQ flavor, well-seasoned and grilled just right. I just wish the portion per skewer was a little bigger The restaurant has a great vibe for casual gatherings too. I'm already planning to come back with friends for a BBQ + drinks night

    Razer clams  IG @lindaeatstagram

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    11 months ago

    Amazing food and great service everything's good price fair and skewers super good and attentive service

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    1 year ago

    Second time here. We mainly enjoyed dishes this time. The crispy fish was surprisingly good! Highly recommen

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    11 months ago

    Ordered chili oil fish, various skewers, and two pitchers of beer. The star however was the egg fried rice. Simply but amazing.

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    1 year ago

    Great experience! Would recommend! Great service and quality food. Our server was very helpful and friendly.

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    Photo of Bob W.
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    11 months ago

    Came here for 锅包肉 on wednesdays. It's very authentic and we all enjoyed it. Server Ailsa is excellent in helping us to order.

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    1 year ago

    Great food. Easy service, will be back again! They're also open late and everything was so good

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    loved the service and the food was awesome sauce!! they have $1 sapporo and it's def worthy~

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    1 year ago

    Genuinely Chinese street food skewers and hotpot, but indoors. Tasty. Busy place. Will definitely come back.

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    11 months ago

    really great skewers i would definitely recommend coming here and trying the chicken garlic

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Great new spot. The food is delicious, especially the hot pot. The service is good. Will come back again

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Very good food! Definitely recommend this place! The service is also great. Highly recommend!

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    2 years ago

    An Elegant Chinese restaurant with nice decorations. Good traditional chinese tasting

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    2 years ago

    The food is so great! I will be back again! The location is just 12 minutes away from South Coast Plaza.

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    Page 5 of 5

    949 Grill Lounge Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - 949 Grill Lounge

    The Red Room

    The Red Room

    4.9
    (238 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    Luxury
    Speaks Spanish

    Booked a large reservation for a surprise bday dinner which I had to add people to a few times and…read morethey were super accommodating. This place is wonderful and the ambiance is perfect Italian speakeasy vibes. The drinks and food were excellent, and the server accommodated our large group quickly and respectfully. Will definitely be coming back for another celebration ! The music was also great 10/10

    My wife and I have been coming to Red Room since it first opened. Last night, we came for dinner…read morewith our son and were treated with the same incredibly welcoming, fun, luxurious, and delicious atmosphere that brings us back again and again and again. The owner, Domenico, not only gives a masterclass in hospitality every night, but he truly is a warm and generous man who will ensure that your evening is special. He treats everyone as family. He provides live entertainment every night (rare anywhere these days), and when he gets up on stage, he sings from his heart wiith a talented charm and love for music. The chef, Carmelo, is a young master. His food is excellent and if there is a special...try it! He puts his heart and soul into his dishes. The staff follows in Domenico's footsteps and, even when the night gets busy, they treat us like family and ensure our night is the best. The entertainment last night was the duo of Marcelo on guitar, and Walter on saxaphone. Both are talented, seasoned professionals and gentlemen whom we have come to know and appreciate. From rock, to jazz, merenge to George Benson, they kept the vibe going all night. Obviously, I can't recommend spending your evening at Red Room enough! It's a rare gem.

    Photos
    Top Shelf Bar
    Top Shelf Bar
    Dinner and live jazz
    Dinner and live jazz
    Interior Red Room

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    Interior Red Room
    Bosscat Kitchen & Libations

    Bosscat Kitchen & Libations

    4.3
    (5.9k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Yesterday we watched the US soccer World Cup and it was a great time. Your staff was very…read moreaccommodating, even though our reservation was only set for four or five people. You let us have a few more people join us. Also our server Morgan was fantastic. He was very accommodating and sweet as well. Very attentive! We also enjoyed the food Thank you for a great time Morgan and Bosscat!

    Southern food has a lot of charm and Bosscat Kitchen brings this charm to Southern California in…read morethe spirit of true Southern cooking. The menu is simple and straightforward. The cooking uses quality ingredients and love and care. I was here on business by myself and was seated immediately and after a quick look at the menu decided on the devil's cut ribeye a steak. It comes with a massive amount of oven, roasted potatoes and green beans. I also got a side salad with it as well which was way too much food for one person. The entire thing was big enough for two normal or maybe even three light eaters. The steak was excellent with a sweet coffee rub with a slightly sweet mapley taste. I could only finish about half and save the rest for the next day. Even though I was full, I decided to try the fried apple pie because it was recommended by many other reviewers. It was actually amazing. It was the dish that was highly recommended by the server and she was not wrong. The ice cream on top was probably House made and the pie itself was like a gourmet version of a hostess apple pie but of course with much higher quality ingredients and it was delicious. The vibe of the restaurant is exciting. It is a fun place to visit with the visual aspects such as the bird cages in the window case. Oak barrels used for aging whiskey are set around and the general vibe was very attractive. Everyone was having a great time and making quite a lot of noise from all the conversation and the music, but people were really enjoying themselves. If you want to have a quiet conversation with someone, this is probably not your place, but if you want a fun time with that kind of vibe, it is an excellent place. I recommend Bosscat highly.

    Photos
    Shaved pork chop sandwich
    Shaved pork chop sandwich
    Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
    Bosscat Kitchen & Libations

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    949 Grill Lounge - bbq - Updated July 2026

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